Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wote Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wote

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $587 in Wote, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $904 in Wote, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,220 in Wote, rent included.

Medellin costs about 71% more than Wote, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Wote are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Wote 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$3.05 KES 395

93.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$37.97 KES 4,908

-13.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.70 KES 866

10.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.59 KES 205

3.77%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.37 KES 48.45

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.24 KES 31.10

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.22 KES 286

-22.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.29 KES 296

38.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.74 KES 95.8

48.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.57 KES 73.1

121.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.45 KES 188

-4.83%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.41 KES 182

54.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$4.72 KES 610

-4.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$6.01 KES 777

-3.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$5.56 KES 719

61.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$3.14 KES 406

-26.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.07 KES 138

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$2.09 KES 270

-27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.60 KES 77.5

126.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.53 KES 68.0

113.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.16 KES 150

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.64 KES 82.5

40.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.51 KES 66.5

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$3.03 KES 392

-26.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$11.41 KES 1,475

6.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$2.25 KES 291

-47.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.73 KES 353

-9.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.59 KES 206

-10.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.51 KES 195

29.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.93 KES 378

169.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.52 KES 196

-34.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-18.26%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

32.73%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$34.59 KES 4,470

139.98%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$16.86 KES 2,179

-42.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$39.81 KES 5,146

-40.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.27 KES 810

-37.00%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$316 COP 1.0M

$153 KES 19.7K

106.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$7,972 KES 1.0M

-25.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$11.82 KES 1,528

407.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$7.95 KES 1,028

300.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$19.40 KES 2,507

424.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$23.56 KES 3,045

356.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$176 KES 22.7K

170.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$193 KES 24.9K

93.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$773 KES 100.0K

9.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$261 KES 33.7K

176.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.84

-9.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Wote: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $176 in Wote. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Wote. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $171 in Wote – so Wote wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Wote: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $880 in Wote. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wote, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Wote. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Wote, where all-in costs run around $587, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Wote it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wote – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wote. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.